Lucian hill



(No Model.)

L. HILL.

TOY PISTOL. No. 358,664. Patented Mar. l, 1887.

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UNITED STATES LUCIAN HILL, OFY NORTH BROOKFIELD, l\[.^\SSAClIUS'E'lTS, ASSIGNOR OF PATENT OFFICE.

ONE-HALF TO EDWARD K. HILL, 0F SA'iIll PLACE.

TOY PISTQL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 358.664.' dated March l, 1887. Application minimum s, nass. sanmartin-1re. (Mun-lin.)

To au whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUCIAN HILL.a citizen ol' the United States, residing at North Brookfield, in the county of Worcester and State ot' Mnssach usetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Toy Pistols, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide, in place of the explosive cap or charge commonly used in such pistols, a substitute which will produce the same noise and have the same effect in firing a projectile, but which will be free from the special danger attending the use of explosives; second, to provide a substitute, as aforesaid, which can be operated indefinitely without renewal at each firing; and, third, to provide mechanism for operating the same. I attain these objects in the manner and bythe arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1, 2, and 5 are views in partial section exhibiting several applications of my invention to a completerpistol, and Figs. 4 and 3 are respectively a partial plan in part scction and a cross-section of Fig. 2, taken on the line a: y.

The essential feature of my invention is the employment of a diaphragm or plate, the inner port-ions of which have been stretched while the edges remain unaffected, producing aconvexity on one surface and a concavity on the other-a condition known among artisans as rim-bound. This condition is most easily produced in plates of metal; and sheet-steel is best adapted to my purpose, the inner portions of the plate being stretched and dished by hammering.

In the various figures of the drawings, A denotes a diaphragm or plate which is in this rim-bound condition, Fig. 1 showing it with its opposite ends secured in the material of the barrel and the butt of an imitation pistol. If, now, the barrel B (the convexity of the diaphragm A being on the under side, as at A1) be moved, as indicated by the dotted-line position B', the dished portions of the plate will suddenly snap into the dotted-line position A with a sharp report, the convexity appearing on the upper side instead of the lower. A reverse motion of the barrel will cause the diaphragm to snap back again` and thus a series ol'neports may be produced. lo accomplish this in the same way a pistol is fired I employ a piece of metal, F, Fig. 2, shaped like a trigger, FLand a hammer, F, and having an extended end,which is fastened to the barrel at F. lhis piece is not connected to any part of the pistol except the barrel, the butt being slotted to admit the hammer port-ion. Upon pulling the trigger the barrel is depressed, and when the hammer is pulled back it is elevated, this alternate action snapping the dished part of the diaphragm from one position to the other and producing an imitation of the noise of cooking and firing. The noise is much louder one way than the other, so that it is only necessary to place the diaphragm with a certain side up to produce the proper difference between tlie report ofthe firing and that of the cockiug. 'l

The diaphragm may be operated without moviiwr the barrel, by means of the pivoted triggei and hammer H, Fig. 5, the extended ends of which are adapted to press upon the surface of the disbed plate, and thus snap` it from one side to the other by the usual operations of firing; or the triggerand hammer may be one piece turning on a single pivot, instead of separate, as shown.

The loudness of the report is increased if' the edges of the diaphragm are confined all around. The material which performs this office must be sufficiently flexible to allow the barrel to n|ove,if the construct-ion is thatshown in Fig. 2. For this purpose and in this case '1 use rubber, which vis shaped to imitate the v cylinder of a revolver.

The edge of the dia,L phragm is embedded in the rubber, as shown at D', Figs. 3 and 4. The ends of the rubber may be neatly secured tothe barrel and butt by the metal caps E, Figs. 2, 4, and 5. I prefer to make this edge-supporting material of molded rubber in two pieces; but it evidently may be any material suciently flexible for the purpose, and it may be appliedin various ways-as for instance, in a continuous cylinder, provided suitable apertures are made to give exit to the sound.

The application of the rubber, as shown,

not only increases the noise by confining the i face to dish into the rimbouud condition is.-

edges ofthe diaphragm. but also by forminga l capable ot" this action in some degree. The

chamber in which the sound reverberates.

The rim-bound diaphragm is capable ot' being used to fire a projectile, as well as to make a. noise. It' any small object is placed on top ofthe diaphragm when it is as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, upon snapping it up the object will be thrown od', as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, with considerable force.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 also forms an eicient rat-tie. By grasping the barrel B as a. handle the buttC may be shaken back and forth,cansingthediaphragm to snap at each movement, producing a series of sharp reports, the intensity of which is limited only by the size and thickness of the plate it is practicable'to use. I t' made for this purpose alone, the part B would be a. convenient handleshapeand.the part C a'loaded end-an arrangement admitting of a variety of forms and applications, one ofthe latter being the placing of the rim-bound diaphragm in a policemans billy, thereby combining the functions of watchmansratt-le and billy in one instrument.

The shape of diaphragm which I use to produce the results described is immaterial. Any plate ot' any shape having sufficientl surresult is quite the same whethe` the'd iaphragm be snapped by bending from the edges or the edges be held rigidly while the dished portion is pressed.

The rim-bound diaphragm is applicable to othertoys, as well a's pistols, andniay be so applied in a variety of ways, which is, in general, evident without description.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination of a pistol-shaped frame, a concavo-convex diaphragm supported within the said frame, anda. trigger-level' or equivalent device mounted in connection with said frame, for the purpose of effecting exure of the said diaphragm, subst-antiall y as specified.

2. The combination of the divided pistolshaped frame B C, the concavo-convex diaphragm A,theactnatinglever F, and the tiexible pieces D, supporting the edge of the s-.iid diaphragm and connecting the parts B and C of the said frame, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

LUCI A N HILL.

WVitnesses:

WM. D. TIFFANY,

J. H. BURBANK. 

